Winters are long in Germany and especially in Bavaria, but all over the country from early Spring through Summer and Autumn it is Biergaerten time. Sitting at simple tables shaded by chestnut trees, eating, drinking and enjoying the outdoors. Often deep into the night.

Hardly changed since the beer garden tradition officially began, during the reign of Bavaria's King Maximilian I in 1812, it's one of those customs that has never gone out of fashion.

From the 16th century there had been a law that dark beer, the most popular variety, must be brewed only in colder months, from St. Michael's Day, 29th September, until St. George's Day, 23rd April. As a way of working around these rules some brewers moved to the banks of the River Isar just outside Munich, and dug deep cellars where they stored their beer during the summer months.

These were also filled with ice taken from the frozen river during the winter, and to ensure the earth remained cool trees were planted over the cellars. The choice fell to chestnut trees, which had originally been introduced into Germany by the Romans, as their large leaves would give the best protection against the Bavarian summer sun.

As an additional safeguard against heat gravel was spread over the area covering the cellars and, just as in Munich, the selling of beer for consumption elsewhere continued.

It was some years later before the first large basic wooden tables and benches appeared, customers decided to stay rather than arrive, buy and leave with their Masskruege, two pint containers, and before too long a visit to a rustic Beer Garden by the Isar had become a fashionable and popular outing.

At the same time it also crossed the rigid social boundaries of the day, because a beer garden was open and enjoyed by anyone interested.

Maximilian's son King Ludwig I, whose wedding in 1810 had been the reason for the first Munich Oktoberfest, had to deal with the complaints of inn keepers who had enjoyed a beer selling monopoly, as well as those brewers who had not left Munich, because the 'out of town' Kellerbiergaerten, cellar beer gardens, had begun to affect their businesses.

He created a law allowing drinks to be sold in the countryside beer gardens but banned serving food. This meant any one who wanted something to eat with their cold beer had to bring a Brotzeit, a snack, with them. An idea that the Biergaerten owners naturally supported as usually meant that their customers would also drink more.

To this day the beer garden culture and custom continues, having spread across the country and becoming ever more popular. Although the only remaining beer cellars from the era are Paulaner-Beer-Garden and the Hofbraeukeller in Munich.

The type of beer and size of the beer glass varies according to the region with a beer glass in northern Germany containing 0.5 liter, about a pint, while in Bavaria the usual size is a "Mass" which holds a liter or two pints.

But then in Bavaria beer is classed as a "food".

King Ludwig’s law is no longer in force so there is always a choice of simple, regional, traditional German food available at any beer garden, not only to satisfy the home grown visitors used to their own cuisine, but also the tourists and travelers whose bucket list includes a 'visit to a Beer Garden'.

Although many beer garden patrons follow the tradition as it was originally intended: order beer or another drink and bring a small snack from home, one that has been purchased, or choose something from the beer garden menu, increasingly advantage is being taken of the system.

Weekend visitors arrive carrying cool boxes filled with prepared meals, overflowing bread baskets and cheese plates, or order a take-away Pizza from the local Italian to be delivered to the beer garden. Set out table clothes and silverware and take over several tables. One for their buffet, one for themselves.

Some even bring their own drinks, with the excuse that they like Rhubarb and Strawberry Cocktail and this is not offered on the beer garden menu.
As a result they are only making use of the Biergarten tables and it is known as the annual Kampf um die Brotzeit, "fight over the snacks". Publicans are beginning to throw out people who they see as breaking the rules of the tradition, which includes bringing too much food.

Of course drinking only what has been bought elsewhere is certainly not part of the tradition, however what constitutes "too much food" is a debatable point, the truth of which is only known by the chestnut trees that have shaded visitors enjoying the "Gemuetlichkeit" of beer gardens for generations.